Driver monitor, method, and computer program for monitoring driver

A method for monitoring a driver, comprising:

• detecting orientation of a face of a driver of a vehicle from a plurality of driver images generated in time-series by a camera mounted on the vehicle to take a picture of the driver;
• determining whether a duration during which the orientation of the face of the driver inclines more than a predetermined angle in a yaw direction of the vehicle with respect to a reference direction is not less than a predetermined time threshold that was previously set, when the vehicle is under autonomous driving control;
• notifying a transition demand for taking over driving of the vehicle to the driver via a notification device only in a case where the duration is less than the predetermined time threshold and where waking of the driver cannot be confirmed;
• and
• omitting to notify the transition demand to the driver when the duration is not less than the predetermined time threshold.

A non-transitory recording medium that stores a computer program for monitoring a driver, the computer program causing a processor mounted on a vehicle to execute a process comprising:

• detecting orientation of a face of a driver of the vehicle from a plurality of driver images generated in time-series by a camera mounted on the vehicle to take a picture of the driver;
• determining whether a duration during which the orientation of the face of the driver inclines more than a predetermined angle in a yaw direction of the vehicle with respect to a reference direction is not less than a predetermined time threshold that was previously set, when the vehicle is under autonomous driving control;
• notifying a transition demand for taking over driving of the vehicle to the driver via a notification device only in a case where the duration is less than the predetermined time threshold and where waking of the driver cannot be confirmed;
• and
• omitting to notify the transition demand to the driver when the duration is not less than the predetermined time threshold.